IMMIGRATION

10 years ago

Buffalo or Baghdad?

Here's a sign of how bad things are in the United States: Iraqis whose immigration has been approved by American officials are now choosing not to come to the United States. America’s bleak financial landscape, foreclosed homes, and lack of jobs have turned off many Iraqi immigrants. The quandary is especially true for Iraqis who work with the US military or aid organizations—and therefore are at risk of attack from militants—who have been offered immigration into the United States. Although unemployment is higher in Iraq than in the United States, many Iraqis own their homes outright and are eligible for monthly food rations. “It used to be that going to America was a dream,” Raheem, a Baghdad native, told the Los Angeles Times. “No more.”